Raid nets four arrests, three pounds of marijuana

Freeport police and members of the State Line Area Narcotics Team arrested four people and confiscated three pounds of suspected cannabis in a raid on two Freeport houses during the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 5, 2008.

By Cara Spoto

Journal Standard

By Cara Spoto

Posted Sep. 5, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 5, 2008 at 4:22 AM

By Cara Spoto

Posted Sep. 5, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 5, 2008 at 4:22 AM

Freeport, Ill.

Freeport police and members of the State Line Area Narcotics Team arrested four people and confiscated three pounds of suspected cannabis in a raid on two Freeport houses during the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 5, 2008.

A SLANT investigation, Smith said investigators sought search warrants because they believed that residents of the two properties were operating a joint drug dealing operation out of the houses.

Police arrested two men and a juvenile at 219 West Elk Street shortly after executing the search warrant at 2:12 p.m., with the fourth arrest taking place at 542 West Elk Street, Smith said.

“When we executed the search warrant at 219 apparently there was a little bit of chaos, and someone fled out the back door and jumped into a motor vehicle which was parked in the backyard,” Smith said.

According to Smith, the driver of the car, Dawan L. Anderson, 18, of Freeport, drove the car through the lawn between 219 W. Elk Street and the next door property, striking a fence and then abandoned the vehicle roughly two blocks away.

“The occupant of the vehicle cut out and ran to 542 West Elk Street, where our officers were waiting to take him into custody,” he added.

Of the three pounds of cannabis seized in the raid, Smith said a large portion was in Anderson’s car at the time he was arrested.

Anderson is charged with unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, 500 to 2,000 grams.

The remaining arrestees, Lasedrick T. Clark, 21, of Freeport, Demetrius J. Winston, 19, of Freeport, and 16-year-old juvenile, whose name was not released, are also charged with possession.

Clark is charged with unlawful possession cannabis with intent to deliver, 30 to 500 grams, and unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon. Winston is charged with possession of cannabis, 10 to 30 grams, a Class A Misdemeanor. The juvenile was charged with possession of cannabis, 2.5 to 10 grams, and resisting arrest.

Smith added that the charges against the arrestees are merely allegations and that they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

As of the evening of Sept. 5, 2008, Clark and Anderson were both being held at Stephenson County Jail without bond.

More than six Freeport police officers assisted in the raid and apprehension of the suspects, including detectives and members of the department’s emergency response team.